


I'm Sorry And Inlove

by ionlytalkshow



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, Flashbacks, penelope x josie, posie - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-11
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-09-16 07:47:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16949916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ionlytalkshow/pseuds/ionlytalkshow
Summary: Takes place right after 1x06. The development of Josie and Penelope's initial relationship in flashbacks and its rebuilt after their breakup.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello friends. I am obsessed with these two and I really hope Julie will do them good. In the mean time here is what I hope for them until we get a canon version. I rant a lot on Tumblr : https://thehatfly.tumblr.com/
> 
> So if you need to share any Posie feels, hmu

“I hate you”

 

“I know”

 

And then they were kissing. Josie’s face softened, finally letting go of every promise she ever made to her sister. It felt great to finally be able to just lash out and with Penelope’s lips on hers: everything was okay. The kiss deepened as Josie pulled Penelope closer, running her fingers through the girl’s hair, and feeling a hand against the small of her back. Her mother left as quickly as she arrived, Lizzie had sex with Rafael, she got buried alive on her birthday, and she was kissing the person who had hunted her like no one before. People would soon arrive in the hallway, see them, spread rumours, but right now she was very far away from caring. She would regret it after, but now she would enjoy it. 

 

Penelope pulled away, resting their foreheads together. A small smile appeared on her face. Her hand was still on Josie’s neck.

 

“Josie, I…” She tried “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that” 

 

She pulled away, looking down and sighed. She really seemed sorry and embarrassed. Josie though she would be the one to break the kiss up so she was a bit surprised. 

 

“Yes, I shouldn’t have either” She simply answered, “I have to go”.

 

Josie took a few steps back. She was now further away from Penelope and looked at her. She hadn’t noticed how beautiful the girl was in that dress, how put together she looked. It reminded her of the time they were together, when Penelope would dress up to take her on dates. Or even of the day they met. It made her a bit sad, remembering all this, and they kiss wasn’t helping her.She wasn’t going to get over her by being nostalgic about their relationship. Penelope somehow understood that and simply started walking away. 

 

Josie felt bad. It had been a long time since she had seen Penelope so vulnerable, since their conversations always ended up being filled with spite and anger.

 

“Hey Penelope!” She called out. The girl turned around and Josie saw the version of Penelope she loved : the one who had tried to give her advice, who had un-burried her, who cared and was genuinely sorry that she got in so much treble on her birthday.“Thank you for tonight”.

 

She said that with a soft smile and Penelope’s face lit up, even if she tried to hide it. She simply grabbed the sides of her dress and took a little bow:

 

“It was my pleasure to be your knight in shinning armor” She winked. Josie let out a little laugh. 

 

_And she’s back._

 

“Goodnight Jojo”

 

Penelope entered her room and Josie stared a little at the now closed door she knew too well. Her heart ached, the memories were still, too fresh, too vibrant in her head.

 

———————————————————————————————————————————

 

_“Josie! Josie! Josie!” Lizzie yelled, entering the room they shared. It was the beginning of the year, and tonight was the integration party for all the new students. It was a formal party so of course Lizzie was freaking out about what to wear and all the boys she could meet, blah blah blah. Josie had stopped listening for a while. She knew what she was going to wear and she didn’t have anyone to impress._

 

_When the time came Lizzie left early to make her grand entrance. Josie could imagine it very well and chuckled to herself: her sister was one hell of a show, and when she wasn’t being capricious about, Josie loved that about her._

 

_She was putting on her earrings when the door slammed open. She turned around to find in her doorway a stunningly beautiful girl. She was wearing a long forest green dress with silver linings. She seemed so confident and classy that Josie suddenly felt very underdressed._

 

_“Hello, I am sorry are you Josie? Alaric’s daughter?” The girl spoked up._

 

_“Yes”. Josie simply answered because she was confused. The girl was now starring at her._

 

_“Wow.You are way hotter than I though you would be.”_

 

_Josie laughed in embarrassment, the girl kept staring at her with her piercing blue eyes and that made her a bit uncomfortable. She wasn’t used to being the centre of attention as her sister was always around and needed it more she did._

 

_“Okay… Who are you?”_

 

_“Oh shit! Sorry, I’m Penelope Park, I’m new”_

 

_“And ?”_

 

_“Oh yes, I’m you buddy… I mean, not like your friend, yet. But Alaric made us pick the people we had to stay with in case of emergency, and since I don’t know anyone and that you weren’t at the party yet, that left the both of us together”._

 

_Josie smiled. The girl seemed very confident and yet didn’t know what to say to her. They both stared at each other for a while. Both dressed up in an empty bedroom. The situation was weird, but Josie wasn’t feeling awkward, she was intrigued. Penelope broke the silence:_

 

_“Anyways, we are supposed to go together so that they can register us as buddies or whatever. That’s why I am here”_

 

_Josie laughed again. The situation was getting weirder and weirder, and yet, she loved it. It had been a long time since someone had scanned, and really looked at her the way Penelope was doing right now._

 

_“So Josie Saltzman.”She extended her hand, ironically “Will you accept me as your escort to this weird party, where twenty minutes ago, an effusive blonde girl entered with a choreography?”_

 

_Josie giggled and grabbed the hand that was offered._

 

_“Penelope Park, I will go to this weird party with you”_

 

_“For real though, this girl had prepared it all”_

 

_“Yes I know, the girl is my sister”_

 

_Penelope blurted an “oh shit”, but Josie didn’t mind the comment. She didn’t want to make the girl uncomfortable so she added in a whisper:_

 

_“I know the choreography too”_

 

_They both bursted out laughing. Penelope had a beautiful laugh. It was communicative, and real and her entire face lit up. Josie felt like she could watch her laugh for ever. That felt weird, but not wrong. That girl was phenomenal._ She still is. And Josie had a hard time forgetting that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the flashback, Josie and Penelope meet again after their first party together while in the present, Penelope has a conversation with Hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, Here is me again with another chapter. I hope you like it, and I would really love some feedback! feel free to comment. Also I am @thehatfly on tumblr

_“Oh my god, are you stalking me ?” Josie joked seeing Penelope sitting on the floor in front of her classroom._

 

_It was the third they had bumped into each other in one day, so it started to feel like not so much of a coincidence. It was the first day of class after the welcome party where they met. It was a pretty fun time actually: Josie and Penelope made small talk, joked about Lizzie’s grand entrance. She couldn’t help but stare: the girl was extremely pretty. Josie wasn’t jealous she was just contemplative. Her eyes were piercing, her smile bright, she spoke moving her hands and nodded when she agreed with whatever the girl was saying. It was charming. When they got to the actual, Josie got snatched away by Lizzie who wanted to tell her about this boy she had just met. She rolled her eyes as her sister pulled her away, while Penelope mouthed a small “be brave”, raising her fist in support. Josie didn’t manage to meet the girl’s gaze as she was trying to make friends during the rest of the night. The next morning when she talked sat with her friends at their usual breakfast table, MG was talking about this new girl, that had basically every guy in the school whipped._

 

_“And not you?”Josie teased. She could see that the boy was head over hells for Lizzie, so she allowed herself to make fun of him._

 

_“Pshh,” He responded, “I am the one that charms the entire girl population of this school, I don’t get bewitched that easy” He ironically readjusted his imaginary tie, and Josie chuckled softly. Then she had gotten to class, bumped into Penelope twice and here she was. The girl looked up, locked eyes with her and answered:_

 

_“Please, I am too hot to be a stalker”_

 

_“Oh yes, I could tell, you already have the entire school population whipped”_

 

_“Do I?” She laughed raising her eyebrows knowingly_

 

_Josie laughed and went to sit next to her. Their faces were now close and she got lost in the girl’s eyes. She stared and stared and drowned and didn’t know what to say. Penelope broke the contact and her eyes got back on her book._

 

_“Do you want to see something very cool?” She asked, shifting positions so she was facing her._

 

_“Okay, give me your hand”. Josie seemed a bit reluctant, and Penelope rolled her eyes joked “not in the wedding sense of the term, Jesus!”_

 

_That made Josie laugh, so she extended her hand. Penelope simply took it and widened her eyes. Josie’s hand closed in a fist that Penelope grabbed with both her hands. She was warm, and it felt really reassuring. She closed her eyes and whispered something. When she opened them up, Josie looked down and found a little snow flake resting in her palm. Penelope was beaming, with pride. It was a tiny snowflake sure, but she taught herself and that was something to celebrate. Josie looked up at her, meeting her eyes once again._

 

_“Thank you, Penelope Park, for this little snowflake”_

 

_The girl laughed softly, and Josie melted. It was a very distinguishable laugh, and it sounded lovely.This girl was intriguing. And Josie wanted to know so much more about her, and her little snowflakes._

 

_“Well, Josie Saltzman, I’ll be happy to create snowflakes anytime. Actually if you want…”_

 

_She was cut short by Lizzie screaming her sister’s name down the hall. She apparently had some treble with someone. She always did. Penelope got up, and started to go away to leave the twins alone._

 

_“To be continued” She simply said, and went away with a wink. Josie blushed. She didn’t know what to think about all of this. She didn’t have time either as Lizzie called her name again, cutting her day-dream short._

 

_———————————————————————————————————————————_

 

Penelope closed her bedroom’s door, and slid down to sit. 

 

Wow.

Wow.

Wow.

 

She had just done that. She kissed Josie, and Josie kissed her back! 

 

She didn’t know how to feel about all of this. She was still hurting from their breakup, she was still mad at Josie for letting her sister get between them, but she cared deeply about the girl. Josie Saltzman was charming and strong, and someone that every person needed in their life.

 

Penelope just wanted Josie to realise that she also needed herself in her own life and she was going to do everything she could so that it happened. She had kissed her thinking that it would help Josie, wake her up, make her come to terms with the fact that she could be a bit selfish. That she could break her promises, that she could simply let go: make out with her ex in the middle of their school’s hallway if she wanted to. She wanted her to understand that they were no rules, expect for the ones she chose for herself.

 

But then she had kissed her, and Josie kissed her back. Too many memories came back all at once. 

 

Penelope had though about Josie, and only Josie since they broke up. She wanted the girl to realise her worth, to be more confident, to think higher of herself. She didn’t realise that by doing that she was falling for the other girl all over again. Josie made it very clear that she didn’t want to have anything to do with her anymore. Penelope though she could take it, but kissing her like she had so many times before was just too much. As much as she enjoyed it, she knew that Josie would still look at her with hatred in her eyes the next day, and not with love like she did when they were together. That was her loss. So yes, Penelope had broke the kiss first, because she couldn’t expect Josie to love her again. Because she wouldn’t. It wouldn’t be the same as it was before because Penelope broke up with Josie, and Josie chose Lizzie over her. It sucked. 

 

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t see Hope Mikaelson sitting on her bed. She looked up and sighed. Hope wasn’t even looking at her. She spoke up: 

 

“You are a very talented witch you know.”

 

“I happen to be a very pathetic person right now aswell”

 

“Just so you know, I originally came here to thank you for your help tonight but…”Hope looked at the door behind Penelope and raised her hands faking surprise. “Apparently that seems to have another meaning for you!”

 

They both laughed. Hope stood up and came closer to her. 

 

“I am assuming you’ve heard it all” Penelope stated. Hope closed her eyes and nodded. 

 

“I took me quite a while to figure you out Penelope. I didn’t know why you were playing the mean girl act and all,” She continued, “You are mean to the twins for no reason, and you don’t think about anyone else than you. I even wondered how you came to date Josie in the first place”

 

“Wow, so much for a pep-talk uh?” Penelope answered ironically. Hope shut her up with her eyes. 

 

“But. I’ve seen how worried you were about Josie tonight. You care about her. It’s obvious that you still do. You fought off zombies to dig her out of the ground. I didn’t expect that of you”

 

”So did you”

 

“I am a hero, It’s basically my job.” Hope chuckled. Then she got back to her serious voice “You look for her when she is not here, you fight for her and don’t even ask for credit.”

 

Hope sat down in front of her and caught Penelope’s gaze. 

 

“I need you to realise that you are a good person Penelope Park. You are better than most people here. Love has made you better, and Josie should know that. You should tell her”

 

“I won’t”

 

“Why not?”

 

“I am no good for her.” Penelope whispered, “She is too good. She made more caring, more attentive. So I won’t tell her because I can’t make her happy. I want too much. And she needs to be with someone who can handle not being her first choice all the time, who can handle going after Lizzie, who can be supportive of her twin problem, while still pushing her to take care of herself. I am not that person”

 

Hope walked towards the open window, and started to get out of the room the way she came. 

 

“Penelope, you were always her first choice”, She smiled, “When she allowed herself to choose”

 

And then went out of the window. Penelope stayed there. From a distance she heard:

 

“You are welcome on my Avengers crew by the way!”                            

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josie has a much needed conversation with MG in the present and shares a undisguised and joyful moment with Penelope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I hope you like the chapter. It is a bit longer than the previous as I get carried away with my love for these two. I am trying to cope with the fact that we won't be getting any Posie scenes for a while. Feedback really means A LOT to me. So please comment what you think about the story.

“Hey Josie, can I ask you something,”MG said looking up from his book, sitting on the couch across from her. She nodded. It had been a few days since her sister and her had to siphon the magic out of Jo, and she would do anything to keep her mind off what was going on. MG was a good person to do that. He was a great friend, plus he was always the last one up. Tonight, like the ones before, she couldn’t sleep. She just stayed in their common living room, reading, distracting herlself really. The weird kiss she and Penelope shared earlier during the week wasn’t helping either. She got really confused about everything going on with her feelings, and she couldn’t talk to Lizzie about it, because well… She just wouldn’t hear it, and try to murder Penelope. 

 

“How was she when you were together?” He asked. He was very serious, more than Josie usually saw him be “You don’t have to tell me you don’t want to, no pressure”

 

Josie chuckled and closed her eyes. _Damn it._ She wasn’t expecting that. But the thing is she couldn’t talk to Lizzie, nor could she talk to Alaric, or Penelope, about this. MG was there, and ready to listen, and she desperately needed someone to talk to. 

 

“Okay, MG, but the only reason I am telling you this is because I am tired and upset…”

 

“Didn’t even have to compel you!” He laughed and Josie gave him a stern look. “It’s not like I would have done it… Chill woman!”

 

He got up to come sit with her as she took a deep breath and started talking :

 

“Okay, what do you want to know?”

 

“Everything! Now that I know that you’re weak. How was it being in a torrid affair with Penelope Park?”

 

She pushed his shoulder gently at the word “torrid affair”. 

 

“MG, We were in a relationship, not in a torrid affair. Those are way more complicated!”

 

“Sure… How was she like then?”

 

“She was perfect” Josie paused for a while. She really was perfect when they were together. She was funny smart and beautiful, she managed to be cute and sexy. She was elegant and interesting. It was anything Josie could have hoped for in a person. So yes, Perfect summed it up pretty well. “She cared about me like no one did before. She took the time to listen to what I had to say when even I didn’t care.”

 

MG nodded, and Josie sighed. The truth was, even though Penelope had become a bitch to her in the past months. Josie still missed her. She didn’t want her in her life ever again, but over time Penelope had become an incredibly important person in her routine. They were always talking, always touching, always hanging out. They shared so many inside jokes, so many memories. Now everything reminded Josie of her, because she use to be so present in every aspect of her life. So Josie didn’t miss _her,_ but she missed _someone_.

 

“What happened then?” MG asked. And Josie snapped right back at him: she didn’t want to have to think too long about her answer.

 

“She grew out of it”

 

“Maybe you did…”

 

“She broke up with me!” Her voice raised “She was the one who left, when I had fallen to hard for her…Plus who’s side are you on MG?”

 

He chuckled lightly and brought her closer with a “shhhh”. 

 

“What I mean,” He explained, “is that I don’t think she ever grew out of love, Josie”

 

“We are talking about the Dark Lord herself MG. If she still loved me, and if she wasn’t just playing her sick little games, she wouldn’t try to destroy every single one of my relationships. With you, with my sister. I mean hurting the people I love hurts me! How doesn’t she get it?”

 

MG gave her a look that she understood right away. 

 

“You think about that a lot don’t you Jo?”

 

Josie sighed but didn’t answer. She did think about _that_ a lot. All the time. It had been months since they broke up and things between them went worse as time passed. 

 

“Josie, what I think,” MG continued, “is that she does all of that because she cares. Oh my God Josie she cares so much about you. Still. Even after it all. What she wants to tell you in her –weird, clumsy, and borderline evil– Penelope way, is that maybe you should be hurt by the things that hurt _you._ That caring about Lizzie, doesn’t mean caring about what Lizzie _thinks_.”

 

He stopped and stood up to leave. Josie needed to be alone with that for a while. Maybe. But not now. She couldn’t be alone with that. She spoke up when he turned around. 

 

“Damn MG, when did you become so wise?”

 

He laughed silently, raised his eyebrows and went back to sit with her. She hurried herself in his shoulder. She missed contact, she missed talking to someone late at night: trying to speak quietly but fail to hold back laughter, getting lost in time, thinking that you will regret going to bed so late, not doing anything about it, living through the weird night/morning transition, wanting to stay awake but ending up falling asleep, in the purest state of happiness. She missed _her._

 

She stood straight again, and backed up a little to face MG. She took a deep breath and said: 

 

“MG…”

 

“Josie?” He answered, with a worried look on his face.

 

“I made out with Penelope Park..”

 

“Oh, me too.” He responded. That made Josie laugh, and she shoulder bumped him. 

 

“Three days ago…” She was surprised that she was not getting any reaction

 

“I know Jo.”

 

“She told you?!”

 

MG chuckled a little bit 

 

“No! Of course not! It’s just that she has been avoiding you, or even talking about you like the plague. It was obvious that something had happened. I think she is as hurt and confused as you are”

 

But Josie didn’t seem convinced.

 

“I swear Josie” he kept going “Penelope Park is loud and effervescent about a lot of things, but the strange thing going on between to two of you is not one of them”

 

She lowered her gaze. Penelope was probably in the same state as she was now. Josie didn’t want that. She knew how wrapped up in her own head her ex could be, and she didn’t like that thought, but she had a whole lot of demons of her own to deal with. 

 

“Congrats though, she’s hot” he winked at her and started to leave for real this time. Josie laughed, because she knew that it was his own awkward way of saying “I love you, I don’t care who you kiss if it makes you happy” and Josie found a lot of comfort in the knowledge that he was there, and that he cared more about who she was, than who she was with. 

 

“Lizzie would be stupid not to come around” She whispered as he left.

 

 

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

 

_“Josie? Are you sure about this” Penelope said, more worried than Josie had ever seen her be before. It was endearing, seeing Miss confidence be so unsure._

 

_“Yes Penelope, I am sure about this. The werewolves pull pranks on us every single year. This time it is our turn!”_

 

_As soon as she got the green light from Josie, Penelope turned back to her secure self. Josie understood that she didn’t want to get her in trouble. The other girl already cared a lot about what to do or no do around her. That felt new._

 

_They started hanging out more after the snowflake moment, because Josie didn’t really try to hide that the other girl intrigued her anymore. She was now openly intrigued and just spent as much time as possible to try and figure Penelope out._

 

_They were sitting on a bench outside of the school, trying to get Josie to do the snowflake spell, when the idea of a prank came up. Josie said that she felt adventurous and Penelope caught on. It was true that Josie could have done anything when with her._

 

_Penelope was so free and impulsive: she said “yes” to everything, no matter how crazy, or useless, and that made Josie feel powerful. It reminded her that she could create her own rules, and that she didn’t have to be reasonable. Penelope told her about the pranks she pulled on some of her friends back at her old school, that gave Josie an idea, and Penelope got on board right away because that’s how she was. They had talked about the how’s and the what’s for about half and hour, and here they were, in front of wolves’ gym, giggling like 5 years olds._

 

_Penelope unlocked the door with her magic and they stood in the middle of the empty gym._

 

_“Okay, let’s do this!” Josie said, taking one last deep breath._

 

_“Absolutely” Penelope winked at her, and went to get the big balls the wolves use to play their game as a pack._

 

_Their plan was pretty simple: enchant the balls so that they would explode into stink spells the moment they were used to play with. The girls got to work, and they were soon all sweaty, proud and done with their prank. Penelope’s hair was up in a messy bun. She was all smiley and exited, more than Josie had seen her be. Penelope was always serious, and elegant, and grown-up so it was nice to finally see the inner child come out of her. Josie couldn’t help staring because she knew what she was observing was rare. Penelope rarely let go of her sarcasm and overall seriousness. She loved seeing her jumping around while enchanting balls. Penelope even insisted on spray painting an “abracadabra” on the wall of the room. So they did. It was stupid, and it would get them detention for a while, but Josie liked that she didn’t care. She cared about seeing Penelope happy, because she didn’t think she had witnessed anything happier, and more real. Her attitude was raw, and unplanned._

 

_“Are you still as okay about this as before?”_

 

_“Yes, for the hundredth time, yes. Stop worrying about this.”_

 

_“I am just worried, this is a bit out of character for you…” She answered, looking down. Her finger was purple because of the spray paint._

 

_“Penelope, this version of me is still me”_

 

_“I don’t mind any version, at least you are there, and pretty and you have spray paint on your cheek, which is both cute and also a dead give away”_

 

_Josie laughed at that as the other girl continued:_

 

_“For real though. I can not partner up with you, you are a terrible criminal”_

 

_“I can’t be both the brains and the muscles”Josie answered teasingly, and Penelope raised a brow._

 

_“It’s ridiculous Josie, let me get it off”_

 

_Penelope approached her and put her hand on Josie’s cheek. But then she didn’t wipe the paint. She was just cupping her cheek and Josie’s heart skipped a beat. She couldn't help but stare at either the girl’s piercing eyes or lips, and neither was helping. Penelope seemed lost in the moment as well. She wasn’t thinking, she didn’t plan anything, but they were sharing a very intimate moment, unexpected. Penelope leaned in a bit, pushing Josie backwards. She wanted to stay in this moment forever. It was both something and nothing. She knew what logically came after the intense staring, but the possible consequences didn’t hit her yet, so she was in a perfect instant, where nothing ever had repercussions._

 

_Then she felt wet paint on her back and the spell broke. The moment was over. She froze at the realisation and Penelope’s hand immediately lowered._

 

_“Oh shit, shit, shit”_

 

_“Language Miss Saltzman” the other girl teased._

 

_“Penelope” She turned around to show her t-shit wet with paint. “I would be such a shitty criminal”_

 

_Penelope’s eyes widen, and they both burst out laughing. Josie’s hears the girl’s laughter again. She could hear it all day long and, she can’t decide if that is good or bad. She’ll do it after. Right now she is just laughing in an empty gym after pulling a stupid prank and she needs the simplicity. They will get out at some point and she will have to think about what almost happened in there, but right now she felt like enjoying the moment with good company. She is happy, and glowing. Even she can see it._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, I am writing that post chapter, because I need to explain myself a bit and rant. I chose to include the part about Josie missing Penelope because she use to take up such a big part of her life for a reason. I do think that Josie misses Penelope more than just because she was a person she could talk to (Josie misses her because she is clearly in love) but I think that it's something that happens a lot, especially in teenage queer relationship. When you are not out, or when you only have straight friends, it's hard to let go of a girlfriend/boyfriend because they are basically the only people that understand the Gay humor, or what you are going through self-acceptance wise. It's hard to go back to being alone again. I am sure we will be okay though. That was my lil rant, thank you for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caroline comes back to Salvatore, both in the present and in the past, notices a few things and exchanges a few words.

Caroline Forbes didn’t visit the Salvatore boarding school very often. She was on the move most of the time, trying to find a cure for the curse that would damn one of her daughters. She was out of the loop of their lives most of the time; Lizzie talking about a new boy each time she was visiting and Josie becoming less and less present in the conversation to let her sister shine. She didn’t like missing so much of her daughter’s teenagehood (especially because it’s the time when girls really _need_ their mothers) but she loved them enough to sacrifice her relationship with them so that they both could live. 

 

She missed their birthday. Following a lead. Damn it. She knew they wouldn’t be happy about it. She always made sure to be there for them at least once a year on their birthday. Plus Josie got buried alive and they both met and killed their “bio-mom” (as Lizzie would could her). That was a lot for teenagers. Overall, it was high time she came back. 

 

She didn’t warn anyone and arrived around 10am on a random morning at the doors of the Salvatore boarding school. She slipped in and left her suitcase in the deserted lobby. The school was pretty empty: the kids younger kids were in class and the teens were nowhere to be found. She was getting a little worried when she heard a voice behind her : 

 

“They’re at a game in Mystic falls, they’ll be back later”

 

The blonde turned around to see Penelope Park, looking up from her book sitting on the stairs. 

 

“Thanks” she answered

 

“I’m Penelo…”

 

“Penelope Park, yes I know who you are, I’ve heard a lot about you.” The girl blushed. Caroline was absent but not stupid, and she had a conversation with Josie about her the last time she visited. 

 

“Good things, I hope” She answered, trying to keep up her confident facade. 

 

“Well, I have two daughters Penelope” Caroline laughed and Penelope smiled back at her. Lizzie wasn’t the girl’s biggest fan, and they both knew that. But to be fair, Caroline tried to avoid judging people too harshly according to Lizzie’s comments, because she knew how dramatic her daughter could be. 

 

The twins’ mother moved closer to Penelope. She didn’t know much about the girl other than the fact that she had become a big part of Josie’s life. Her daughter spoke very highly of her. She described her as a nice, charming, brilliant, mysterious witch and most of all as a caring and loving partner. Or she use to. 

 

She sat beside the girl and studied her face for a second. 

 

“Penelope?” she sighed. 

 

The girl gulped and nodded for her to continue. 

 

“I’m only going to say this once, because now you are basically on the enemy team as far as I know but…” She paused “Thank you.”

 

“I know that things ended badly between you and Josie, and I know that you were the one to end it but… I’m her mother, and I am, sadly,only present for bits and pieces of her life, I saw the difference you made. It’s not even that she was in love or that she was happy; but she just had something that was completely hers to have or to destroy or to keep. She learned how to like –well _love–_ things for herself and that is something she very much needed”

 

Penelope looked down and fidgeted with her fingers. Caroline understood it wasn’t the most expected nor the most appropriate conversation to have with her daughter’s ex-girlfriend but it was the truth. 

“Oh yeah, I _knew_ about you two. Big times.” She added in a whisper. 

 

That made Penelope laugh and it relaxed the mood. The girl looked up and answered.

 

“I am not sure I am good for her to be honest. I fought–and I still fight– with her sister so often that I think I am un-doing all the good I did.”

 

“And why do you fight with her so much?” Caroline gently asked already knowing the answer. 

 

_Because I love her._

 

“Fine” Penelope chuckled “love is no excuse though.” 

 

“You should ask my daughter about that…”

 

She would have continued but the door opened letting in a guild of sweaty teenagers coming back from their game with her old high school. Josie bursted in and her face lit up as she saw her mother (it was bit surprising to see Penelope next to her, but that was a question for later). 

 

“She’s all yours” Penelope smiled, and Caroline gave her a gentle nod. 

 

 

 

———————————————————————————————————————————————————-----------------------------------------------------

 

 

_“What is such a cutie doing in front of my room ?”_

 

_“Hi Pen.” Josie smiled awkwardly._

 

_Okay. Fine. That moment in the gym was weird. And unexpected. And very very confusing. And yes they started hanging out more and more. And no, Josie didn’t really know what it meant. But right now, She was standing outside of Penelope’s room, waiting for her to come back from class, for no particular reason other than the fact that she wanted to see her really really badly. And that was flirting right? Josie didn’t really know what to think._

 

_“Want a ride to the library?”_

 

_Josie just noticed to notebooks she was carrying; nodded and followed._

 

_“You are on foot” She pointed out._

 

_“I’m offering company on your journey. My company is always a ride”_

 

_“Pfff. Showboat.”_

 

_“Nerd.”_

 

_Penelope started talking and Josie started listening, and they slipped into conversations as simple as that. During the time they spent together, Josie started to notice details, quirks of Penelope’s she didn’t before. Maybe they were spending way too much time together. Maybe Josie was already deeply smitten. She noticed how slow they walked every time they started talking. She was always late to whatever she was doing next because they forgot to put one foot in front of the other properly when they were together. One topic was followed by the next one and their conversations always stayed in her mind after the other girl left._

 

_Penelope always had tons of anecdotes, added on like little footnotes to their initial topic: from some experience from when she wasn’t at Salvatore to the little graffiti she saw on a table the other day. She made everything seem bigger, brighter, more connected. Like one thing always led to another and that every moment was part a saga. Josie loved it. It made her feel powerful. Like there was always time for more._

 

_The more they talked, the more their respective gaze changed. Josie started to see the world differently, observing it through Penelope’s eyes and the world seemed bigger. Penelope started to see the world differently, contemplating it through Josie’s eyes, and the world seemed more beautiful._

 

_Josie was thankful for their differences, and even more grateful for the fact that they each found beauty in the other’s world._

 

_“And that’s you.” Penelope said. Josie could always hear the disappointment in her voice when they arrived at the library. But never explain it._

 

_“That’s me indeed.” They were in front of the library, students passing through and pushing them around, but they both stood there. Not daring to leave. Not yet._

 

_“Don’t you like the other entry better?” Penelope asked, smiling ironically_

 

_“Oh” Josie laughed “Yes, absolutely. It’s so much better”_

 

_“Right?” Penelope faked and she laughed. They wouldn't talk about it but they had reached a common agreement that their time was better spent together. So they started walking toward the other entry of the library. Penelope led the way and took Josie’s hand. Again, there was a lot to talk about there. But they wouldn’t. Josie liked this light and breezy approach of their ambiguous friendship and that was worth a little confusion._

 

_When they got to the other entry Penelope left with a wink, and as the other girl was about to sit and analyze whatever happened between them for the next fifteen minutes or so. Josie heard her name being called._

 

_She turned around. Her mom was sitting on the stairs in the lobby, a suspicious smile on her face. She had arrived a couple of days prior, but she wasn’t around the school often because she still had to settle some overseas business. Josie swallowed hard and walked towards her mother._

 

_“Hi mom”_

 

_“Who… is_ that _?” Caroline said, pointing at the spot where the two girls talking earlier._

 

_“Oh, that’s Penelope Park, a friend of mine” Josie answered, hoping her dumb act would cut it with her mom. Since she wasn’t really ready to face any kind of feeling at all._

 

_“A friend uh?” Josie nodded. Figuring talking would only make her situation worse._

 

_Caroline instructed her to sit and started talking again._

 

_“You know what’s the first thing I noticed about you when you were a baby?”_

 

_“No.”_

 

_“You’d always keep looking at me when I left” Caroline smiled and picked up her daughter’s gaze “It’s true! Your little hazel eyes were constantly there to find if I turned around to look at you. It was reassuring because I was the only person your gaze ever lingered on. It was my proof that you loved me. I always knew you knew I was your mom because you were interested about the thing I did right after I took you in my arms, or sung for you.”_

 

_Josie smiled, and closed her eyes as Caroline continued_

 

_“Do you see where I am going with this?”_

 

_“So I wear my heart on my pupil?” Josie joked. Caroline laughed and took her hand, grazing it with her fingers._

 

_“I am here when for your eyes ever linger on someone else. Because that’s rare” Caroline rose her daughter’s chin so that their eyes would meet._

 

_“She doesn’t know how lucky she is…”_

 

_“Oh mom…” Josie rolled her eyes, already blushing in embarrassment._

 

_“She doesn’t know how lucky she is.” Caroline stated this like a firm certainty._

 

_Josie squeezed her hand. This was weird. Too strange and too early. But it was good and necessary nonetheless._

 

_“I think she does actually” Josie whispered, looking up._

 

_She had to, because Penelope was perfect. And most of all she listened to her with such attention and cared so deeply that she couldn’t have missed how different Josie was with her compared to how she acted normally. She had to have noticed but not wrapped her head around it yet. Because Josie did notice too. How Penelope tried to be nicer to Lizzie around her. How she wasn’t the cold-hearted bitch everyone depicted her as around Josie. But most of all. Josie noticed how when her sight lingered onto Penelope, it would always find green eyes staring back._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes the library has two entries. No I don't have any respect for how the Salvatore school is canonly built. I need a library with 2 entries to serve the gays. So I will create one. 
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Feedback is always very very much appreciated. Much Love.


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